Series of Love
by Jessie0799
Summary: Neji and Sakura found love with each other. These are the moments in the journey together. NejiSaku stories. (Naruto is owned by Masashi Kishimoto.)
1. Chapter 1

Rejection

Snow was falling softly around them, gray silence broken by a nervous and shaky voice.

'_I love you'_

More silence, the cold air surrounding them was tainted with awkwardness.

He thought about that grim January day, when he had to turn down the woman who so deeply fell in love with him. He hadn't seen her since, she accepted missions back to back, to avoid him.

'_I'm sorry. I love you as a dear friend, but I can't be with you.'_

He knew that her heart was broken, wrecked, because he did not have feelings for her.

'_Why? Why can't you give it a chance?'_

'_Because I have feelings for another woman.'_

He walked down the icy path through the courtyard, the greenery and the beautifully colorful flowers had gone dormant, the trees barren of leaves. The sky was black and freckled with stars, the moon shining bright and high, as he tilted his head up to look at the stars, he thought about the woman whose heart he broke, and the one he broke her for.

_Pale eyes gazed into the emerald eyes before them. 'I have feelings for you"_

_Those emerald eyes stared back at the pale eyes, 'I have feelings for you, too'._

One month ago, he broke his teammate's heart, and one month ago he took his partner on their first date. One month ago he was sad, now he was happy.


	2. Chapter 2

Broken Friendship

One month ago, he began his relationship with her, their friends got news of their new partnership two weeks later. All but two were happy for them, they were heartbroken. The woman who confessed, and the one who loved the girl his best friend was courting.

'_You knew I have always loved her.'_

'_I'm sorry.'_

A friendship became fractured, he had broken his two closest friends' hearts. It pained him, somewhat, but he knew deep down that they were still happy for him, it would just take time for them to heal from the news.

_Onyx eyes glared at pale ones._

'_I can't believe you would do that to me._

_Pale eyes, full of hurt, looked away from those onyx eyes, not daring to look up._

'_I'm sorry.'_

The icy path met its end at a small set of stairs, which he stepped up and began walking down the attached porch towards his bedroom. It would be warm, a welcome escape from the frigid air. One month ago he lost his friends because he fell in love with a pink haired woman.


	3. Chapter 3

Spring Has Sprung

Blossoms swirled around his lover, who was actively trying to catch one of the fragrant pink petals. Being her namesake, they were her favorite flowers to bloom in the spring.

"Neji, aren't these beautiful?" her hand extended toward him, full of flowers.

"Yes, they are, Sakura." A sweet smile graced his face, something that had been rare before they joined together. He picked a single blossom up and brought it to his nose, inhaling the sweet smell it emitted, "you are even more beautiful."

Neji, she had come to discover, had a very caring and nurturing side. She was happy that he had opened up to her, she was happy that he was happy. Neji locked his arm with Sakura's, leading them forward towards the center of town.

They were on their way to visit the seasonal market, which was something she looked forward to, especially the spring market. Stalls would be filled with flowers, freshly baked goods, handmade beauty products, accessories, and beautiful garments. The couple had attended the winter market as well, their first public venture alone together. People seemed to welcome the idea of their unlikely relationship, those that knew of their reputations were happy for them.

As they walked through the market, browsing at what was for sale, the smell of fresh pastries drew them forward. Neji bought a couple red bean buns for them to munch on along the way, stopping at a few stalls to pick up some of the goods that citizens worked hard to produce. Sakura had found some jewelry pieces, and a new kimono. Neji had picked up several homemade candles and incense to burn during his nightly meditation.

As the sky began to dim, and the market began to close, sellers beginning to prepare for the next day, the couple made their way back to Sakura's apartment. Neji always had to make sure that she returned home safely from their ventures. "Hey," Sakura said, "can we have a date night tomorrow?"

"Of course. Dress nice, there is a restaurant I've been waiting to bring you to. I will pick you up at 6." Neji planted a soft kiss upon her lips, savoring the feeling. He loved the feeling of her lips against his, they were smooth and soft, she likes to wear lip balm to keep them nice.

"Goodnight, Sakura. I will see you tomorrow," with that Sakura shut the door behind her, giving her lover one last smile as he turned towards the direction of the Hyuuga compound. Tomorrow night couldn't come fast enough.

* * *

As promised, Hyuuga Neji was knocking on the door of Sakura's apartment at exactly 6 p.m. She had learned to get ready earlier than she normally would, because Neji was never late to anything. He had made a reservation for 6:30, it would take 20 minutes to walk to their destination. Sakura opened the door to see Neji, dressed in his favorite black yukata. She herself had her own yukata; it was red with black embellishments.

Neji took her hands in his and pulled them to his lips, kissing each one gently, "You are beautiful, Sakura"

She blushed at his statement; a small smile graced her cheeks. She felt her left-hand interlock with his right, she locked the door behind them, and they began their journey to their dinner destination.

Hyuuga were known for their formal lifestyle. No wonder he had picked this location. It was a beautiful establishment, adorned with paper lanterns, fountains on either side of the facade. The interior was dimly lit, tables neatly arranged, a candle and flowers in the center of them all. The furniture was comfortable and made of the finest woods and fabrics. For a moment, she felt a bit overwhelmed. Never in her life had she imagined stepping into a place like this for a nice dinner with her boyfriend, especially because she was dating a Hyuuga.

They sat at their table and looked over the menus in front of them, taking a few minutes to decide what they would order. After placing the order, they sat across from each other and waited patiently.

"I can't believe how nice this place is," Sakura murmured, looking around the room before turning her face back to Neji

"Only the best for you, my blossom," he smiled at her.

"You treat me like a queen, it's such an unusual feeling. Welcome, definitely, but nevertheless unusual."

"I care for you, and you deserve the best. As long as you are mine, I will always do my best to make you happy."

"I will always do my best to make you happy, as well. I love that smile of yours, and I'll do anything to see it."

"Sakura, as long as you are happy, then I am happy."

"After dinner, can we go to the top if the hokage mountain and watch the stars?"

Neji smiled brightly, looking into her deep green eyes which were so full of life, "of course, that would be nice.''

With that, their food arrived, and as they ate, their conversations continued. They drabbled on about their work lives, their friends, their families, and other topics. Dessert was ordered and split between the two, when the bill came, Neji paid, and the pair took off towards the hokage mountain.

The stars were especially bright, the moon large and full in the sky. The air was cool and sweet, it was the perfect end to an amazing date night, Sakura thought. She turned her gaze from the stars to the man sitting beside her. She couldn't help but stare at him, looking over his face. She pointed out his features mentally, prominent and sharp jaw, his straight nose, his plump lips, milky white eyes that twinkled under the light of the full moon.

Neji turned his head to see her examining him. When she noticed him looking at her, she couldn't help but lean over and press her lips to his. He blushed fiercely, secretly he liked when she made small advancements like kissing him suddenly, hugging him from behind, or other actions of affection. Her smile made his heart flutter, her kisses left butterflies in his stomach. This was, he knew, the best date night they have had. As per usual, he looked forward to the next one.


	4. Chapter 4

Acceptance

It took six months for Lee and Tenten to accept Sakura and Neji's relationship. After seeing how happy Sakura made their teammate, something they never saw quite often, they began to come around to it. It took six months for apologies to be said between the three teammates.

"Im sorry, Lee, for betraying you. And Tenten, I'm sorry for hurting you. I'm sorry for hurting you both," Neji said quietly to the pair before him.

Tenten spoke first, gripping his shoulder with reassurance, "you have no reason to apologize. It should be us asking for your forgiveness after the way we treated you."

"Yeah," Lee sighed, " when we realized how happy you both made each other, we realized that you were meant to be together, sharing your youth."

"Thank you, both, for being my friends and supporting my relationship with Sakura," Neji averted his eyes, a small smile gracing his lips. The weight of his worry over the status of their friendship was lifted off his shoulders. The pieces of his life fell back into place, he had his friends again, his friends which he cared for deeply. He was accepted.


	5. Chapter 5

You Say It First

Sakura found herself standing before her boyfriend, whose hands were outstretched towards her, holding a small box. She took the box from his hands and opened it slowly, revealing a pair of emerald earrings.

"Happy anniversary," Neji said, "I know it's not much, but I saw them in Suna while i was on a mission last week, and I thought they would look beautiful on you."

"Thank you, Neji. They are gorgeous, I really love them," she reached up and kissed him, then reached into her bag to present him with an anniversary gift as well.

Neji opened the box, which contained a chain with a locket, which held a photograph of them inside. It was his favorite picture of them, Ino had taken it for them at the summer festival; all of the infamous Konoha twelve had attended together. "So you'll always have me with you," she said softly.

Their eyes met. They had been dating for six months. Their feelings have grown stronger for each other over time. Both were the happiest they have been in their lives.

"Neji-"

"Sakura-"

"You go first-

"You go first-"

Sakura giggled, "please, you first."

Neji smiled softly, nodding his head yes. He had imagined for weeks how she would react to what he was about to say. His nerves took over as he prepared himself to reveal his true feelings for her.

Steadily, Neji spoke, "Sakura, I've been wanting for weeks to say this to you, but I've been afraid of how you might react." She took his hands and squeezed them reassuringly. "Sakura, I love you."

She was speechless at first, but found her voice a few moments later, "I love you too, Neji. That was what I was going to tell you just before."

Neji wasted no time in wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her against him. With her arms around his neck, they kissed sensually.

"I love you so much, Neji. You make me so happy."

"I love you too, my Sakura. I'm happy with you, as well."

It didn't matter, at the end of the day, who said it first, it only mattered that they loved each other, and that they revealed their love together.


	6. Chapter 6

The First Time

The couple was embracing, lost in the kisses they shared. Sakura straddled Neji's lap as he sat up on her sofa. She pulled back and looked deep into his eyes, which were filled with lust. She looked back at his lips and couldn't help but attack them with her own. Tongues clashed as nimble fingers gripped brown hair. This was their first true make out session, and Sakura was in paradise.

Neji welcomed the sudden assault on his lips, fighting her tongue for dominance. Ultimately, he won, slowly standing and holding her up. He pulled back from their kiss to catch his breath. He carried Sakura into her bedroom, locking lips again and gently laying her on her back, propped up against her lush pillows. Once again, he felt his hair being tugged on, and it drove him mad.

Sakura found herself being stripped to her bra and panties by her lover, she felt vulnerable at first, this was their first time having sex. But when she felt the light kisses on her neck, along with a few long licks from his strong tongue, she felt herself tugging at his shirt. No, she thought, she can't be the only one exposed, that wouldn't do. Neji took the hint and stripped down to his boxers, returning his attention to Sakura.

"God, you are the most beautiful woman I have ever laid my eyes on," Neji looked her up and down, in awe of her figure. Her breasts were on the small side, but her waist was small, and her hips were prominent. She had long, smooth legs and a plump bottom. Her skin, aside from a few scars obtained from past missions, was soft and clean. "I love you so much."

"Neji I lo-" Sakura grunted as her lips were once more being attacked. She allowed his tongue to slide between her lips once more. Not long after he was sucking on her neck, leaving little bruises spread throughout. She welcomed the idea of adorning hickeys; she found the idea of being marked as his to be sexy.

She felt her sex getting hot, a visible wet spot developed on her red panties. It didn't take long for Neji to notice, for he had slid his hand in between her thighs to feel her. He stopped gracing her with his markings and straddled her lap, sitting her up and reaching behind her back to undo her bra. He removed it with ease, and not so patiently pushed her back down and took a nipple in his mouth.

The sudden feeling of him sucking on her breast, flicking the hard bud occasionally with his tongue, made her even more wet. Neji placed wet kisses and hickeys all over her chest, it was driving her mad. She wanted more, and he was willing to give it to her. Slowly, Neji began kissing his way down her body, stopping at her hips. He gazed up at her for reassurance that he may proceed. When she shifted and spread her legs further apart, he began to lick her inner thighs, kissing up and down her legs. She didn't know if she could handle much more of his teasing. With a slight groan, she fisted the sheets beside her. This was his que.

With two fingers, Neji pulled her panties aside. He slowly licked her sex, one, two, three times. She felt her clit pulsating from the feeling of his warm, wet appendage upon her. Suddenly, he took the bundle of nerves into his mouth and sucked, sending shivers down her spine. He wanted to please her. He would do anything to please her.

With all of the determination in the world, Neji began the assault on her clit, flicking it with his tongue, with speed and force she had never felt before. She looked down at her lover in between her legs and watched as he used his mouth to pleasure her. Her fingers gripped his long locks, pushing his head further down in an attempt to add to the pressure of his tongue.

Milky white eyes looked up to meet her emerald ones as he continued to pleasure her. The sight of him between her legs, watching him as he looked up at her, was extremely intoxicating. She let out a moan as he stuck two fingers inside of her, continuing the onslaught of his mouth upon her. He looked up at her once more, eyes locking, as Sakura began to grind her hips against his tongue. Neji let out a moan of approval when she gripped his hair tighter and pushed him down against her as far as she could. "Ah, fuck. Neji, I'm gonna cum" she moaned out.

With her words of encouragement, he slid another finger inside of her, pumping his hand as fast as he could while flicking his tongue against her sensitive flesh. Her world became white and hot as her climax took over, she moaned, gripping the Hyuuga's hair in a death grip as he pleasured her through her orgasm.

She went lax as her orgasm came to an end, breathing heavily, yet contentedly. She felt little kisses trailing their way back up her body, coming once again to meet her lips. She could taste herself on him as he pushed his tongue into her mouth and met hers. The way he had pleasured her, staring into her eyes as he did so, was the most erotic sight she had ever seen. She couldn't help but push him off of her, flipping him onto his back, pulling his boxers off and throwing them haphazardly on the floor. Sakura wanted to taste him, she wanted him to feel his own white, hot world, just as she did.

Slowly, she licked the length of his hard member. At the feeling, Neji let out a small moan, a sound Sakura was desperate to hear. The sound of the stoic Hyuuga Neji moaning in pleasure was music to her ears. She swirled her tongue around the tip of his cock, then wrapped her lips around it, gently sucking, before she wrapped her lips around his girth and began to move her mouth up and down his length. She felt his hand against the back of her head, encouraging her to take his whole cock into her mouth; and she did. Sakura had deepthroated before, but never on someone as big as her lover. The tip touched the back of her throat, making her gag around him. Neji let out another, deeper moan, at the feeling of her throat squeezing his cock. As she moved up and down, sucking the length of him, heat began to pool in his stomach. "Sakura," he grunted, "don't make me cum yet, I don't want to cum yet."

She pulled back, a resounding pop rang out as she let his cock slide out of her mouth, "well that wouldn't be fair, now would it?"

"I can't cum yet"

Sakura took his cock in her hand, stroking it gently, "why not?"

Neji growled, grabbing her waist and flipping her back beneath him, "because I want to fuck you."

He removed her panties, completely exposing her to him. He spread her legs, propping them against his shoulders, and aligned himself to her hole. She gasped as he slid inside of her, and he allowed her a few seconds to adjust to him. When she nodded that she was ready for him to move, he began thrusting his cock into her.

It burned at first, she had never had someone so large inside of her before, but the burn quickly turned to pleasure as his length slid against the walls of her vagina.

"Ugh," she let a moan escape from her lips as he began to fuck her harder, faster, and deeper. She felt him pull her up slightly so he could get a better angle. Once he began to pound into her, her walls clenched.

"FUCK," she yelled out. He had found her g spot, and continually hit it as hard as he could. Oh god, was she moaning; the sound rang out within the room, enveloping his ears as he slid in and out of her pussy. "Ah, p-please, make me cum," she begged him, she was getting closer to that white, hot world, she wanted it badly.

"What was that?" He sneered, wanting to hear her beg more.

"Please, make me cum, I'm so close!"

"It would be my pleasure," he leaned forward to brace himself on his hands, his face inches from hers.

Sakura couldn't hold on any longer as he nailed her into the bed, she let out a scream as her orgasm took her over, her walls clamping down around her lover's cock. The friction, the feeling, was unlike anything Neji had felt before; he was experienced in the art of sex, but no other woman made him feel so good before.

"Ah fuck," he grunted as his own orgasm tore through his body. They rode the waves together, holding each other as they came down from their highs.

Neji pulled himself out of the woman beneath him, spent, and lowered himself down to rest against her chest. Instinctively, she wrapped her arms around him and planted a kiss atop his head. "I love you, Neji."

He nuzzled into her, a smile she couldn't see grew upon his face, "I love you, too."

Exhausted from sex, Neji drifted off to sleep as Sakura ran her fingers through his hair, comforting him. She herself was tired as the recovery from sex began, and soon she herself had fallen asleep. Sex felt different for them, it felt better, it felt right. The feeling of their first time joined together was one they would remember forever.


	7. Chapter 7

Close Call

Her heart stopped when she saw him being rushed through the hospital doors. Neji had been on a rather long mission, leading a team of six through the land of fire. Rogue ninja began invading the country and had brought destruction to the small villages dotted throughout it. The mission was simple, to eradicate these groups of disgraces shinobi, but it had taken a turn for the worst when they were ambushed by a team of former ANBU who had betrayed the village. It was a difficult battle, and two of the shinobi he led had died. The rest suffered moderate to severe injuries.

"What's the status?" She asked the medic who was rushing her boyfriend to the OR unit.

"Four broken ribs, punctured lung, the bones in his right arm are completely shattered, and there is a large laceration across his torso. Severe blood loss," the medic replied.

As Neji was being prepared for surgery, Sakura scrubbed up. She had to be there to make sure he was okay and to assist the surgeons as needed. It was against hospital policy for her to tend to anyone she had a relationship with, but Tsunade had waived the rule for her, seeing as she was one of the best medics in the country of fire. She went into the room where she saw just how bad the injuries were. There was a large, black bruise where his ribs had been broken, and a huge gash from his chest to his naval, bleeding heavily. The entirety of his arm was purple from the bones being pulverized by whatever had caused it. There was so much blood. Too much blood. Her stomach twisted at the sight of her lover. She couldn't imagine the pain he would be feeling after the surgery was over, she was thankful for anesthesia, at least he was unconscious and unable to feel the pain for the moment.

She set to work quickly, beginning with the damaged organs that had been sliced by the blade he was struck with. Most of the bleeding was from his internal system, the laceration allowed the blood to drain out of his body cavity. Once the organs were stitched up by her chakra threads and the excess blood sucked from his inside, she could begin the process of sewing the laceration shut. Other medics worked on his arm, using chakra to reconstruct the bones that had shattered, and then mending the broken ribs. Once the gash was closed and healed, Sakura set to work on repairing his ruptured lung, sending her chakra through his chest. She knew she was cutting it close with her chakra reserves, but there was no way she would allow Neji to die under her care.

It took six hours to complete the surgery. Neji was brought to a recovery room in the ICU to complete the healing process. Sakura pulled a chair up beside the bed and planted herself in it, she refused to leave his side until she was sure he was safe.

Several days passed, and she found herself beside her lover once more. He had been in and out of consciousness since the day after his surgery, but the medication being pumped into his body to numb the pain left him extremely groggy. She watched him as he rested, waiting for him to wake once more, hopefully more in his senses. She stood and bent forward to place a delicate kiss upon his forehead, unbandaged, his curse seal visible to her. He stirred under her kiss, pale eyes fluttering open. "S-saku-ra?" Neji croaked out, throat dry and irritated.

"Yes, my love?" She helped him sit up slightly, and tipped a glass of water into his mouth, which he gratefully swallowed.

"What happened?" He asked, no memory of the previous days he had asked her the same question.

"Your squad was ambushed on a mission. You suffered some pretty severe injuries, but you're going to be okay," she looked into his eyes, "I thought I was going to lose you. I was so scared,I didn't know if you would flat line on the operating table."

"I am alive, thanks to you."

A sob ripped from her throat, "you were so close to dying."

"My love, I am not ready to leave this Earth," he reached out to wipe away her tears, "I am not ready to leave you. I will not leave you here, alone. I am alive, I am here, and I will be here with you always. I love you."

"I love you so much, Neji. Please don't scare me like this again."

"I cannot promise that I will always return unscathed, but I will continue to do my best to make sure I live for you, for us," his eyes began to droop once more, heavy medication running through his body to numb the pain. Sakura wondered if he would remember the conversation when he woke next. She kissed his dry lips as he fell back into a deep sleep. This time it was too close a call for her comfort, but she knew he could never promise to come home uninjured, or alive, from any mission. She would just have to hope.


	8. Chapter 8

A Public Display

Their friends all knew of their relationship, they had been dating for over a year, but had yet to see them display their affections for each other in front of them; although, it was rare for all twelve jounin to be together again due to the onslaught of missions flooding Konoha's ranks. Life had just gotten in the way, there was nothing that could be done except for wait for that moment to return to the old days. Eleven shinobi spread themselves across a small clearing in the woods, an old training ground that they had made theirs after it had been abandoned because of its small size. Some were sitting in the shade, some were sparring, and some were chatting and catching up on each other's lives.

"I never thought the day would come when Neji Hyuuga was late to anything," Naruto blurted out to his friends.

"Technically," Shikumaru started, "we never set a specific time to meet up, it was just generally to be here sometime in the late morning."

"I bet they're having some fun before they come over here," Naruto snickered.

"Naruto, I do not want to think about Neji-ni and Sakura having intercourse," Hinata, who had really come out of her shell over the years, gave the blonde a whack on the arm. The two had also joined together as a couple several months ago, Hinata leaving her old shy self behind.

Ten more minutes passed before Neji and Sakura arrived at the field to join the rest of the group. The air was on the chilly side, the sky bright and blue with only a few fluffy white clouds floating lazily in the atmosphere. So far, winter had been mild, no snow had fallen, and the temperatures only dropped to about forty degrees Fahrenheit.

"It's about time you guys got here, I thought January would be over before you showed up," Kiba sneered.

"Oh, shut it, Kiba," Sakura jived.

"Whatever, Sakura, we all know what took you so long, a little morning session, huh?"

"W-what?! No! There was an emergency this morning at the hospital that I had to be there for!" A blush grew upon her face.

Kiba laughed out, "Oh yeah? Then what's with the hickey on your neck?"

"KIBA! I just told Naruto to not talk about that!" Hinata yelled, whacking him on the arm as well.

"Are we done with this conversation?" Neji chimed in with irritation showing on his face, "I would like to not have the matters of our sex life spoken about."

Sakura brought a palm to her face, "Can we just get on with this training? We never get to be together like this anymore, and I'd like to just throw back like old times, ya know?"

"Okay, you're right. Let's get to it, then," Kiba sighed, defeated. He, and Ino, had made it a point to discover the secrets of Konoha's favorite couple. Very rarely did them present themselves as a pair while in public, only being spotted holding hands and embracing on a few occasions.

"Alright, are we sparring, or what? I'd like to blow off some steam," Tenten asked; she was always so eager to spar. She got a resounding approval from the entourage of friends, in which she pointed to Naruto, indicating that she wanted to spar against him.

Tenten prepared for her first strike by summoning a baton from one of her many scrolls, then took off running towards Naruto, who had blocked the assault with his arms. He then attempted a jab towards her stomach, she jumped back to avoid the punch, releasing a scroll of shuriken at the blonde. He summoned shadow clones to take the hits while he prepared another strike towards her. She reciprocated with a swift kick as she landed. The kick landed, sending Naruto face down in the dirt. Tenten, being as she was one of Gai sensei's pupils, had a lot of strength to her. The kick resulted in breaking his nose, which Sakura tended to after the match was over.

"Tenten! Your youth has persevered with a win! Good job!" Lee shouted, throwing his fist up in the air with pride for his teammate.

"Thanks' Lee. Now, who's next? I think those lovers should take a go at it," she motioned towards Neji and Sakura, daring them to spar with each other.

"That would be fun," Sakura giggled, looking at the man sitting next to her.

"No."

"Why not? Scared I'll kick your ass?"

"No. I do not want to hurt you."

"C'mon, Neji," she said to him, poking his arm.

"Fine. But do not expect me to worry over your injuries later. And you cannot be angry or guilt me because of it. He stood up, grabbing her arm and pulling her up with him.

"I don't think I've ever seen them fight each other, this is going to be quite interesting," Shino said.

"Oh yeah, it definitely will be, "Chouji responded to the statement.

With that, Neji and Sakura took their independent stances, Neji in his gentle fist stance, and Sakura standing in offence. Neji would not be using chakra in his strikes, as he usually doesn't when he spars with his cousins and his uncle. It would be his taijutsu against hers. She was most proficient with genjutsu, but Neji was quick to notice when he was in one and could easily release himself from it.

She made the first attack, attempting a jab to the face, which he easily dodged, swiping his leg under hers. She fell back but landed on her hands and feet, and she pushed herself up, legs outward to strike him as he landed. He used her feet to flip backwards and avoid the hit. They stood, Sakura smirking, took out a handful of kunai and throwing the bunch towards him. He used his kaiten to deflect them, sending their back her way. One nicked her shoulder, but she healed it as she stood in defense. Neji made a kick to her side, which she jumped away from, but not with enough time to dodge a high kick that sent her to the ground. She quickly got up and managed to land a punch to Neji's chest. He counterattacked with another low kick to her side, which she dodged once again, this time dropping down to, kicking his legs out from under him. He flipped before he hit the ground, then kicked out to the side, but the assault was blocked. Sakura jumped back a few feet to catch her breath, which ended in her loss, as Neji's quick speed left him landing a palm against her chest, sending her flying backwards.

She hit the ground with a grunt, landing on her elbows, "okay, you win. If you used chakra that would have been fatal."

He knelt in front of her, cupping her cheek, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," She sighed, "I thought you said you weren't gonna worry about me."

"I did say that, but you knew that wasn't true."

She stood up and dusted herself off, Neji standing up beside her. After the surface of dirt was removed from her clothing, she leaned forward to plant a kiss on her lover's lips, "I'm okay. Nothing a little chakra can't fix." She placed her hands on her chest, a green glow surrounding them, "there, all done."

"Oooooooooo!" Ino jived out.

"Oh, shut up, Ino Pig!" Sakura sneered, "couples kiss all the time it's not that interesting."

She responded, "yeah, but it's you two, so that makes it interesting."

"It is interesting to know that your maturity has not improved, Yamanaka," Neji stated, crossing his arms. He knew how often Ino had tried to get Sakura to tell her all about their relationship. He found the woman to be overly nosy.

"Whatever, Hyuuga. We all know you two fuck, you can't hide it from us"

"INO! Yes, we have sex, please don't make it a big deal. It's not like you haven't had sex before," Sakura reinstated. "Why don't we meet up later and get barbeque? We've got tickets to see that new horror movie that just came out."

"Yeah, that sounds like a plan! Enjoy your 'movie'", Ino laughed as the pair walked off chatting happily, hands interlocked. Sakura only glanced back with a wink, which was met with thumbs up from her friends.


	9. Chapter 9

High

The night sky was cloudy, the only light coming from the moon between the clouds. Neji sat outside on Sakura's balcony, a glowing orange light floated in the air before disappearing as smoke. After moving in with Sakura, he liked to spend a lot of time outside on the balcony, as he was used to having open air and outside areas from living in the Hyuuga compound. This, he found, was the only downside of living in an apartment right in the middle of town. Under the cover of night, he burnt an incense while meditating under the cloudy sky. A powerful storm was brewing, one that would most likely cause damage; it was monsoon season, after all. All missions were stopped now, and those who were out of its path were advised not to return to the village until after it was over.

Sakura emerged from the shower, throwing a robe on and walking outside to find her boyfriend, "whatever that incense is, it doesn't smell very good"

"It's not that bad," Neji said.

"It smells like patchouli and skunk!"

"I do not smell either of those scents. It is just a chakra incense," he firmly stated.

She snorted, "yeah, sure. Now come inside and come lay in bed with me. I want to watch a movie before the storm starts."

He stood up, making his way inside to lay in the bed he shared with his lover and cuddling up against her. Sakura liked when he rested his head on her chest, running her fingers through his hair in reassurance that he was loved. The man suffered from not being loved during his childhood, being unsure of anyone who tells him they love him. She knew that she was the only one he really believed. She turned on the tv and searched for a movie to watch, finding and interesting comedy about some made up couple's relationship. They got about halfway through the movie before the wind picked up, and lighting flashed before the thunder roared. Once the rain started, Sakura went around the small apartment, lighting candles in case the power went out. She quickly returned to the warm bed, where Neji was watching the screen as if he was hypnotized

"I'm hungry," he stated, focus still on the flickering screen.

"Go find something to eat before the power goes out," she responded, crawling back under the covers.

Yeah," he said slowly, "that's a pretty good idea. I kind of want something sweet."

"We still have some adzuki buns from last night, I left them wrapped up on the counter."

"Okay, that sounds good," he wandered into the kitchen to find the buns. After a few minutes, he returned to the bedroom with two cups of tea, and a bun for each of them.

"You, Neji Hyuuga, are actually going to eat in bed with me?"

He looked at her with droopy eyes. The milky white had a touch of pink around what would technically be his iris. "I want to relax and watch this movie with you. I'm just gonna let it go, have my tea, and eat my snack."

"Okay, what's with this weird talk? Are you okay? Do you feel sick or something?"

He chuckled, "No, I just feel good," and sat back beside her, happily munching on the sweet bun.

"Oh my god, wait a minute!" She got up and turned the light on, crawling up his body to look at his eyes. "Neji, are you high?!"

He stuttered in panic, "w-what? I do not know what you are talking about."

"Neji Hyuuga, are you high?"

"Okay, yeah, I am. That would explain the skunk and patchouli you smelled earlier. The incense I burned was patchouli to try and mask the smell of marijuana."

She grew a wide grin across her cheeks, "The great Neji Hyuuga, the genius of the Hyuuga clan, number one in his class, and one of the top ten jounin in the village, smokes weed?"

"Yes. I've hid it up until now. It helps me to sleep at night, that's why my insomnia has improved. Please do not spread this news."

"Neji, most of us smoke, too. Aside from Lee, Chouji, and Shino, everyone else smokes. Including me."

"Oh."

She shook in excitement, "I can't wait to get high with you. Imagine how good sex would feel then!"

"W-wait. Hinata-sama smokes pot?"

Sakura laughed at his question, "Yes, she does, not very often, but when she's stressing over something."

"Wow. I never would have guessed she would smoke."

"Everyone would have never guessed you would smoke. I can't wait to see their faces when they find out!"

Neji only snorted as he watched Sakura open the window, rain pouring down outside, and taking out her stash, lighting up a pre-rolled blunt. "Come here."

He once again got out of bed, walking towards the open window. Thankfully the rain was falling away from the window, otherwise they would be drenched. She lit the blunt and shared it with her lover, blowing the smoke out the window while thunder boomed with each bolt of lightning. The power went out after a particularly large bolt struck down near the apartment, leaving the dim light of candles, and the orange glowing light floating in the middle of the darkness.


	10. Chapter 10

The First Fight

Sakura was frustrated with her boyfriend. They had been dating for two years, and he had yet to pop the question. She wanted to get married, making small hints towards him in hopes that he'll get the hint. However, her plan wasn't seeming to work. When she brought the subject up, he would change the subject, not wanting to talk about it. He seemed so disinterested, and she was getting fed up with falling behind her friends. Naruto and Hinata had married about nine months prior, Ino and Sai married just seven months into their relationship, and Lee and Tenten had found love within each other, they had become engaged. Neji returned home from a long mission, sporting a few scratches and bruises. As usual, Sakura fussed over the injuries, making sure to heal him as best as she could.

"I missed you, love," She said to him as she soothed his wounds.

"I missed you, too, "He reinstated, enjoying the cool feeling of her chakra against his skin.

She finished patching her lover up, kissing his cheek softly, "I love you."

"I love you, too," he cupped her face and looked into her eyes before touching their lips together.

"That's a feeling I want to experience forever," she mumbled, just loud enough for him to hear.

"Please, Sakura, not this again."

"Why? We've been together for two years already, you moved in months ago, and we've never had a fight. Clearly, we both love each other, I just don't understand why you don't want to get married."

"Because I don't."

"Then are we just wasting our time being together? Did I waste two years of my life with you?!"

Neji, taken aback by the question, with slight hurt in his voice, "excuse me?"

"I want to spend the rest of my life with you, but you don't want that for me, for us. I don't date for fun; I date to find my soulmate. I guess I was wrong about you.

"I can't believe you would say that to me," his voice quivering a bit. "You know damn well that I love you and I don't believe I wasted your time, or mine. You know what, maybe we need some space from each other."

"So now you're just gonna leave?"

"Yes. I'm going to the compound; you can call me when you're done being a bitch."

She slapped his cheek, hard, at the statement, "How dare you call me a bitch."

He looked at her and turned around to leave as tears fell from her eyed. He slammed the door of the apartment behind him and made his way quickly back to his room within the main house. He walked upon Hinata and Naruto having an afternoon chat in the courtyard.

"Hey, Neji, what are you doing here?" Naruto asked. He noticed the distressed look on his face, and a slight pink hint on his cheek. "Did something happen with you and Sakura?"

"I do not wish to talk about it." He kept walking towards his room wanting to be unbothered by everyone. For the next week, neither had spoken nor seen the other. Hinata and Naruto tried tirelessly to get Neji to talk, but he refused to say a word. It was Hiashi who had come along and gotten him to talk about the fight.

The man rapped at the door to his nephew's bedroom, "Neji, I am coming in." He opened the door to find the boy sitting at his desk reading the letter which his father had left for him before his death. He read that note repeatedly when he was upset.

"Neji, I heard that you and Sakura are taking some time apart."

He didn't look up from the piece of paper in his hands, "I don't know what's happening, Hiashi-sama. I made a mistake and I am paying the price."

Hiashi found it strange that Neji was opening up to him about the issue. This, he knew, must really be hurting the boy. However, he was pleased that his relationship with his nephew grew, otherwise he would have been rejected to have this conversation.

"I am not going to pry into your personal life if you do not wish for me to do so. But if you are willing to tell me, I would like to try and give you advice.

Neji sighed, looking away from his father's note, "She wishes to marry me."

"I see. And you do not wish to marry her?"

"I do want to marry her, I really do. I love her very much. But right now, I cannot. I have been telling her I do not wish to marry her because I find it easier than telling her the truth."

"And what is the truth?"

"Her father will not give me permission. He does not approve of a branch member of our clan to bring his grandchildren into this world. He will not have them branded as I am."

Hiashi looked at his nephew, face growing soft, "Oh, Neji, I do not plan to brand your children."

"What do you mean? They will be considered branch members of the Hyuuga. The elders will never allow them to not be branded!"

"I do not care what the elders want. Ultimately, I make the final decision. When one of my daughters is named my successor, the other will not have branded children. I do not wish to carry on the tradition. It has caused great pain within this clan, and I will not have it for your children, or my grandchildren."

"Thank you, Hiashi-sama. I do not believe Sakura's father will believe me. Also, after what I said, he would be even more opposed to it.

"What did you say to her?"

"Honestly, I called her a bitch. I was angry and hurt, she believes I wasted her time. I didn't think before I said it, and I do not know how to apologize."

"Oh nephew, you really have gotten yourself in a predicament," Hiashi put a hand on the boy's shoulder, "You must tell her the truth and make it right. I approve of her for you. I see how happy she makes you. It would be a shame to lose her over this matter. I will speak to her father. You must make amends with her."

"I will try. She was so angry that she struck me. And then I left her crying, alone."

"It was not right for her to strike you, Neji."

"But it was not right of me to call her what I did. I suppose I deserved it. I will go there tomorrow morning and talk to her. I can only hope she forgives me."

"I am sure she will. I will speak to her father over the matter of branding your children. You and Sakura may join if you two wish."

Neji smiled up at his uncle, "Thank you, Hiashi-sama. I really do appreciate it."

"Of course, Neji, you are my dear nephew. If there is anything else I can help you with, I will gladly do so. And may I suggest, perhaps you should go there now. The evening is still young."

"Okay, that sounds like a good idea."

Hiashi chuckled, "I will assume everything will have worked out if you do not return."

"Hiash-sama!"

The man laughed, leaving a stunned and slightly embarrassed Neji in his wake. He did not find the man's joke very amusing, shocked that we would even suggest such a thing! It didn't matter much anymore to Neji as he started to prepare himself to win back his lover. He quickly changed his lounge clothing to a solid black shirt and a pair of pair of blue jeans and brushed his hair, leaving it untied. She liked his hair down, so he would wear it that way often. The only thing he disliked about having his hair untied was because it would get tangled in the wind. But something about it made the woman happy, so he will do anything to make her happy with him again.

He walked to Sakura's apartment, which was about two miles away from the Hyuuga compound. As he made his way to Sakura, he thought about her smile, her laugh and the way she sometimes snorted. He thought about her blushing face and elegant voice, the voice that told him she loved him. He would be damned if he couldn't fix the problem he started. Once he reached the door, he stopped. Should he use his key to unlock the door and go inside, or should he knock? He decided he would knock on the door and waited for her to open it. He knew she was home; the light was on in the living room. Sakura opened the door.

"Oh. I, uh, wasn't expecting to see you," she stuttered out, surprised to see him standing there, "I mean, you have a key, so I didn't expect you to knock."

"I did not believe it would be appropriate to just invite myself inside."

"Well, I guess you should come inside. Both of us will freeze to death standing out here," She stepped aside to let Neji in, closing the door behind him.

He stood there and avoided her eyes, "I-It was wrong of me to...no...I, "he decided to finally look her in the eye, "I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry, too."

Stunned at the apology which he wasn't expecting her to say, he stuttered, "W-what?"

"I said I'm sorry, too."

"I am the one who needs to apologize. I am at fault, not you. I have been lying to you, and I regret calling you what I did. All I can do is tell you how sorry I truly am."

She looked at him quizzically, "What do you mean you lied to me?"

He looked away from her, "Your father will not give me permission to marry you. I didn't have the heart to tell you that I cannot marry you. It was easier to say that I didn't want to. I didn't want you to think less of me."

"Why wouldn't you tell me? I could have spoken to my dad about it."

Neji looked down at his feet, "A man should have the trust of a woman's father to take her hand in marriage."

She tilted his head up to look him in the eyes, "I do not believe you are any less of a man, or less of a person."

"But I… your father doesn't want his grandchildren branded by the Hyuuga. He thinks less of me because of that. I thought you might have thought less of me, too. Especially now after I called you...that."

"You definitely crossed the line there, Neji. What made you think it was okay to call me a bitch?"

"I was just hurt. When you asked if our relationship was a waste of time, that really hurt me. Still, I cannot make an excuse for it. I said it and all I can do is apologize. I'm so sorry, Sakura," his voice quivered a bit and his eyes became glossy with tears.

She understood how much hurt and guilt he was feeling. Neji's usually stoic facade was broken before her. She couldn't help but feel a pang in her chest, "I forgive you," she placed a hand on his cheek, "and I'm sorry for hitting you. That was unacceptable for me to do. I promise you I will never do that again. Please, don't be upset. I love you, regardless. I was wrong for pushing marriage onto you. Now that I know the real reason, I can take care of it. I'm so sorry, Neji. This was a stupid fight that could have been avoided on both our ends. But it's over now. Let's move on," she pulled him into an embrace, rubbing his back reassuringly.

She was upset, still, but she knew how regretful he was, and she didn't want to see him more hurt, or add more guilt to what he was already feeling. She was the only person who had full access to his emotions. All through his life, Neji had seemed cold-hearted and stoic, but she got to see the real him. She was the only person in his life that would ever be able to see his soul, and she cherished that.

"I love you, Neji. Never forget that."

"I love you too, my beautiful flower. I always will. I will never hurt you again."

"I was just getting ready to make some dinner, come and join me. I mean, this is your home, too."


	11. Chapter 11

The Conversation

After their week-long hiatus from each other, Neji moved himself back in with Sakura. Hiashi was pleased to once again see his nephew happy with the woman he loved. A meeting between the three of them, and Sakura's father was taking place at the Hyuuga compound. Sakura was anticipating a good outcome; god help all if Neji didn't get his approval. She would burn the whole world down if her father denied their marriage. Neji, on the other hand, was still feeling doubtful. He knew his Uncle could explain the issue of branding their future children, but he also felt that made less of a good impression on her father for not doing it himself. Time would only tell.

"So, you're telling me that my grandchildren will not be branded with the Hyuuga curse seal, and the elders are okay with that?" Sakura's father, Kizashi asked the leader of the Hyuuga clan, "I mean, c'mon Hiashi, we both know that's not how it's going to be. The elders of your clan will overthrow you on this."

"Yes, Kizashi. Neji and Sakura's children will not be branded. As for the elders, if they decide to overthrow me, I will throw myself right back. I am in control of my clan, the only use for the elder council now is to sway my decisions." Hiashi responded. Neji and Sakura found the difference between the men to be comical. Sakura's father was a cheerful and boisterous man, he was so informal, just like she was. Hiashi was a stoic and calm man with a very formal demeanor. The interactions were amusing to the couple. "Those children will not bear the curse of the Hyuuga."

Kizashi looked at Neji, then at Sakura, then back to Neji. He studied him for a minute. Neji was one of the best shinobi in the village, well on his way to becoming an ANBU and moving his way up the ranks. His bloodline trait was the strongest the Hyuuga clan had ever seen, and he was a genius with an IQ that was just a few points off from Shikamaru Nara's. He was the first of his class and the first of his generation to reach the level of jounin. He was tall and slim, but still had a little bit of a build to him. He seemed to never gain too much weight, which was typical for most shinobi, but he knew that there wasn't a gene for it. He had strong facial features, and his hair was healthy. Neji was the man he had always dreamed of his daughter having. But the cursed seal was the one downside he needed to ruin that perfect man. He looked back at his daughter, studying her as well. She was average height and thin with more prominent muscles. She was the hokage's apprentice, ranked as one of the best medics in the village. She was viciously strong and had a charismatic personality. She was informal and brash and witty. The two would bare the perfect children.

"This is a difficult decision for me. I would like to speak to Neji privately for a few minutes, if you guys don't mind."

"Of course, father, 'Sakura said, leaving the room with a slightly concerned Hiashi Hyuuga.

"Lemme ask you something, why are you the right man for my daughter? She is my only child, I want the best for her," Kizashi began, "What makes you stand out above the rest?

Neji responded without hesitation, "I am the right man for Sakura because I love her. When I'm away on missions, I miss her, and worry about her dearly. I love her smile and the way she comes to me when I return home, and it makes me so happy to know she is well. When we are out, I am there to protect her. When we are home and she is exhausted from work, I make sure to make her as comfortable as possible. When she is sick, I stay up to help her feel better. When she is restless, I stay awake to with her and comfort her until she falls asleep. Yes, I have made mistakes, and no, I am not a perfect person. But I love Sakura, and I will always love her."

"Do you really think your children will not be branded?"

"With all due respect, can that really be the only issue affecting your decision? Hiashi-sama will not allow the elders to seal them, he will protect them at every cost. So will Hinata-sama, Hanabi-sama and Naruto. Most importantly, I will protect Sakura, and our children, from the pain and burden of this mark. That is a promise."

For a few moments, Kizashi was silent. The boy was right in that the Hyuuga curse was what was affecting his decision. But the way he spoke of his daughter and his promised to keep her and their children safe, along with the fact that he was the perfect man he had always wished Sakura would find, made it difficult for him to decide if he trusted his, and Hiashi's, word that the children would be free from the grip of Hyuuga claws. He could see the anticipation growing but was pleased that the boy had not backed down and continued to fight for his only daughter; for the woman he loved.

"Kizashi-san," Neji spoke up to break the tension he was feeling. He was nervous but he didn't show it, he wouldn't show it. He was strong, if he were weak, he would have already walked out of the meeting highly disappointed, "May I have Sakura's hand in marriage?"

Outside, Hiashi and Sakura sat waiting. "I hope everything is going okay. My father can be very harsh when he wants to be," she sighed. She could only hope that her father was not verbally ripping Neji to pieces.

"I hope it is going okay, as well. Neji is a strong young man who doesn't back down. If he wants something, he will do whatever he has to do to get it." Hiashi voiced.

"It's been a while. I'm worried. He will be beyond heartbroken if he can't marry me."

Hiashi peered at the young woman sitting beside him, "I will support your commitment to each other however you must achieve it. Be it elopement or going against your father's wishes, you and Neji have the full support of the Hyuuga."

The shouji door slid open at that moment. Sakura couldn't help but jump up, anxious to find out what their future together would look like. Neji emerged from the room and took a deep breath. Sakura's heart stopped for a moment, she couldn't decide if that was a bad or good sign. But, when his face broke into a giant smile, she knew she was going to spend the rest of her life with Neji. She had never felt an embrace as strong as the one he was holding her in, she didn't mind that her ribs were being crushed against his body. Hiashi was proud to know that his beloved nephew had the opportunity to start a new life, and now looked forward to meeting the children they would have together. Kizashi couldn't help but also feel proud for Sakura, she had found herself and found someone who loved truly loved her. He knew that approving their future matrimony was the right choice. Now, the only thing that was left to wait for was their engagement. Neji was already planning on when and how he would pop the question, and he couldn't be more excited.


	12. Chapter 12

Jupiter

Bright stars lit the warm summer night sky. Neji loved to gaze out into the galaxy and study the universe. Sakura thought his passion for space was cute. He loved astronomy as much as he loved to meditate. It was peaceful in the Hyuuga gardens, where Hanabi had placed her telescope for everyone to see. Jupiter was supposed to be visible, and everyone wanted to see the gaseous planet and it's forever raging storm. Neji was focusing the telescope and searching the galaxy to find the orb. He was curious about what would happen if he combined the byakugan and the range of the telescope, and so he activated his bloodline, which was met with laughter. It is to be noted that there is no effect between the two ranges of sight.

"What? Like any of you weren't curious either. If it wasn't me than it would have been Hanabi-sama." Neji looked slightly offended at their reaction to his curiosity.

"Do you think I haven't already tried that? That's the only reason I wanted the damned thing. It doesn't do shit. I'm sorry you are disappointed." The young girl had grown to be rebellious, not living the respectfully cultured life of a Hyuuga.

"What a waste of chakra, indeed," Neji sighed. He looked to his giggly lover sitting on the ground next to him, who was still clearly amused with his little blunder. He continued his search until he found the planet, "Oh! I found it!"

"Can you see it with your 360-degree vision, cousin?" Hanabi laughed out, making the rest of the group laugh as well.

"Is it pick on Neji day today? I had an inkling and I proceeded to follow it. Yes, I may be disappointed, but we all do stupid shit, okay?"

Secretly, Sakura found it sexy when he cussed. But this time, it just made the situation even more funny, "Aw, Neji, do you need a hug?"

"I am glad you find this amusing, Sakura," He huffed, "Now come here and look at this!"

"Ya know, you're just too cute when you're excited," she giggled, crawling in front of him, he held her as she looked through into the galaxy, "Wow. That's so cool. I never thought I would see a planet like this before. Pictures don't do this justice."

"I wanna see! Naruto jumped up from the bench he and Hinata had been sitting on, their only input up until now has been their laughter. Sakura and Neji moved aside to make room for him. "Wow. It looks so...HD".

"That is the power of a good telescope," Hinata stated, looking herself. She, too, was amazed at the sight of the Milky Way's largest planet.

"I wish we could see all the colors of the galaxies, and each individual star, and maybe the occasional comet." Neji stared up and the night sky, the light of the moon highlighting his white eyes. Sakura couldn't help but turn his face towards hers and kiss him.

After a few moments, Neji pulled back, grabbing her hands and seeing her smiling face. The stars reflected off her pupils, surrounded by the emerald aura of her irises. As much as he loved all things out of this world, he loved the beautiful woman next to him much more. To him, she was his whole universe, and she knew it.


	13. Chapter 13

Berserk

Missions were stressful. The constant movement and battle was draining for any shinobi, no matter their ranking. The A class mission Neji was assigned to lead had been an easy one. His squad included all of his friends, the mission was, in Tsunade's eyes, perfect for a group of young shinobi who grew up together. Just like their meetings in their free time, being grouped together on a mission was just as rare these days. It was also, he found, exhausting. Naruto and Kiba often bickered, Ino was always yelling at them to shut up and focus. As usual, Lee would spew out youthful words of encouragement when it looked like they were slowing down. The mission had gone awry at the end. After scouting a growing village known for its sex trafficking ring, they were instructed to gather information and return to the village for further instruction. All had gone well, until they had crossed paths with a group of shinobi who had kidnapped children and were bringing them to the village to be sold. Neji had seen red at the sight and went ballistic, he had a huge soft spot for children. Tenten, Hinata, and Ino were instructed to gather and guard the children from harm before Neji entered a bloody rage. The group retreated to the tree line, guarding the innocent children from harm, and from the sight of the absolute carnage that was going down. It wasn't often that Neji went berserk, but it was a sight to see, and everyone knew to not intervene until it was over. He would be the only one to fight this battle, even being outnumbered.

Three of the enemy ninjas charged, running at full speed with kunai in hand. He had instantly pulled his katana off his back. He had one day asked Tenten to teach him how to use a katana to its full potential, needing something that was not as close range as a basic kunai. He had grown to love his katana; he loved the way it sliced through flesh so easily. One of the shinobi attempted to stab him with his kunai. Neji had quickly and cleanly slashed his arm off his body as if it were a piece of bamboo he had practiced on many times. The man screamed in agony as he clutched his bloody shoulder where his arm was once attached. With no regard to their comrade, the other two shinobi attempted their own attacks. Neji jumped back from the assailants and prepared his next move. He lifted his arm and swung the katana, cutting through their bodies with ease. Blood sprayed across the scene as one man after the other met their end to the blade of Neji's sword. The final man standing, who seemed to be the ringleader of the group of kidnappers, was still being hacked away at long after he was dead.

Nobody dared step in to stop him from carving up the body, he would stop when the rage wore off. And when it did, Neji stumbled back, exhausted from the slaughtering he had just finished. He was covered in blood, it dripped off his skin and soaked into his white shirt, these clothes would be headed to the trash. Sakura braved the scene, calmly approaching her lover as he breathed heavily.

"Neji, it's over now," She crouched down beside him where he was kneeling over the leader's body and placed a hand gently on his shoulder.

He took a deep and shaky breath before looking over his shoulder at her, "Are the children okay? Are they safe?"

"Yes, my love, the children are safe, the other girls are tending to them," she wrapped her arms around him as his body shook, he looked like he was on the verge of passing out from exhaustion "do you feel okay?"

"I'm tired," he let his eyes close and relaxed into Sakura's arms, falling into unconsciousness.

She thanked Tsunade for inducing her with strength before situating his limp form on her back. She would have to carry him as he slept. They were several hours away from the village and the blood coating his body was already soaking into her own clothes, "We need to find somewhere safe to set up camp while he rests, I'm not carrying him the whole way back, I'm drenched in blood now as it is."

"There is a village a few miles south of here, I'm sure we can find an inn or something," Naruto spoke, "it's been a long time since he went on a rampage like that. I'd be exhausted, too."

"Well, when it comes to children, he doesn't hold back. I think half of us should head back to the village where the kids will be safe until we find out where their families are. The rest of us can follow behind," Shikamaru suggested.

His idea was gladly accepted by the group, so they split up into two. Kiba, Chouji, Shino, Tenten, Lee, and Ino would head back to the village with the lost children while Shikamaru, Naruto, Hinata, and Sakura stayed behind with Neji in search of an inn where the Hyuuga could rest after his episode.

The small group found the village and booked a room for the night. It had two queen beds and an unusually comfortable sofa, which Shikamaru would sleep on for the night. He, along with Naruto and Hinata, went in search of something to bring back to the room for dinner while Sakura tended to her sleeping lover. The housekeepers gave them a spare set of clean sheets to replace the dirty ones that would become stained with blood.

The kunoichi dampened a towel with hot water and attempted to clean as much of the blood and dirt off of the Hyuuga, stripping him down to his boxers, disposing of his soiled clothing. He hummed as she gently scrubbed at his skin.

"You awake?" She asked.

"Yeah," Neji opened his eyes, "I feel better. Where are we?"

"We found an inn in a nearby village from where we were."

"Where is everyone else?"

"Naruto, Hinata, and Shikamaru are looking for something to bring back to eat. Everyone else is headed back to the village with the children."

"Oh."

"Why don't you take a shower so you can get properly cleaned up?"

"That sounds like a good idea," He pushed himself up out of the bed, his eyes widened at the sight of his bloody lover, "What's all that blood?"

"Don't worry, it's not mine, and it's not yours. You really did a number on those guys, Neji," she said reassuringly, "I'm going to wash up when you're done."

Already finding himself stripped of his clothing, he walked right into the shower, running the water as cold as he could tolerate. He loved a cold shower, especially after a tiring mission; it helped him wake up a bit more. Besides, Sakura would have his head if he used all the hot water. He watched the soapy water turn pink as he washed himself off. He enjoyed the remainder of his shower, but he was eager to let Sakura clean herself up and savor the rest of their alone time before their comrades returned with dinner.

The three returned with some food and laid it out on the small table in their room. Neji had fallen back asleep while Sakura was in the shower, he was curled up under the blanket. She sat on the bed next to him with the TV on, gently stroking his hair.

"How is he doing?" Shikamaru asked.

"He's alright. He was awake long enough to take a shower, but he fell back asleep a little bit ago," Sakura responded. The smell of their dinner made her stomach rumble, "what did you guys get?"

"We found a café and ordered some sandwiches. Hot food would have gone cold by now so we opted for something we could eat right away," Hinata replied, unwrapping her's and Naruto's sandwiches.

"Sounds good to me," she shook Neji gently, rousing him from his sleep, "love, it's time to eat."

He groaned, not happy to have been woken up, "I'm not hungry."

"Well you have to eat something. I'll let you sleep after. We're not in a rush to get home, so you can sleep late if you want," Sakura yanked the blanket off him and grabbed each of them a sandwich, crawling back into the bed next to him, "here, you don't even have to get up."

He yawned before taking his food. He took small bites and ate slowly, but he finished the whole thing to make Sakura happy. She always made sure he ate well, even if he didn't have an appetite. If it was up to him, he could go days without eating and not be bothered, but she would not have any of that nonsense. When he finished his sandwich, he recovered the blanket she had so rudely pulled off him and curled up against Sakura's body.

"Goodnight, I love you," She laid beside him, kissing his forehead gently.

"I love you, too," he hummed, them promptly fell back into a deep sleep with his lover by his side.


	14. Chapter 14

Volunteering

Konoha had seen an influx of orphaned children over the last week. Neji and his team had been sent to eradicate the sex trafficking ring that they had gathered intel on during the last mission. The newly freed children had been placed in the large orphanage while their families were being located. Most of the children were from the land of fire, so finding their homes was an easier task than originally thought. Still, there were quite a number of kids left to bring home, as well as the children who did not have homes. It was a well known fact that Neji had a very soft spot for children, he often talked about having a family with Sakura after they got married. In the meantime, they spent their recent days off playing with the children at the orphanage and bringing them toys and other little gifts to make them more comfortable with their situation.

Sakura heard giggling coming from a group of small kids whom Neji was playing with. They were playing with toy dinosaurs, roaring away and battling with the plastic figurines. Neji's dinosaur was currently meeting its demise by a t-rex handled by a little boy who had to be no older than six. She remembered him from the last mission where they had their run in with the group of men her lover had slaughtered. Sakura watched the interaction with a smile, she loved seeing this side of Neji, and often admitted it.

The emerald-eyed girl was playing princess with two little girls, they were having a royal tea party with a couple of stuffed animals she had given them the day prior, "my lovely princesses, how about we invite some princes to a ball after our tea party?"

"Where are we going to find princes?" One of the little girls asked.

She pointed at the boys playing with Neji, who were now climbing all over him as he pretended they were much stronger than he. The girls thought it would be a fun idea, so they ran over to the boys and invited them to play. Sakura stood and made her way over to her lover, who was laying on his back on the floor under a gaggle of kids.

"Well, my prince, what do you say to coming to our ball later?" She giggled as he pretended to struggle under the children.

"I would love to, princess," he smiled up at her.

"I think you young men should dress in your royal suits while sir Neji and I prepare the carriage," she crouched next to the group of children, ruffling the smallest boy's hair.

The kids crawled off the Hyuuga and ran to a small closet where costumes and props were kept, pulling out some hats and fake flowers they found. Neji sat up, slightly winded from entertaining the kids, "they seem very eager to dance with their princesses."

"They're all so cute," she also had a soft spot for children, "I also figured you'd want a little break from being trampled by a bunch of six-year olds."

"Maybe just a short break. I don't mind, really, as long as they are having fun," his eyes grew a bit sad as he observed the rest of the children playing with one another. Sakura recognized the look and sat next to him on the floor.

"Hey," she placed a hand on his cheek, "I love you."

He sighed. He related to the children who were without their parents, without families to love them. He had spent his childhood alone, not knowing what it felt like to be loved by a mother, and not being able to be loved by his father after his death. He never knew his mother, as she had died during his birth.

He looked at her with a sad smile, "I love you, too." He knew she really meant it, and it gave him reassurance knowing that he was loved, "Now, how about we get started with that ball you and the other princesses are so excited about?"

She laughed, standing up and grabbing his hand to pull him up with her, "only if you are willing to be the carriage driver."

He looked over at a rather large red wagon that would fit the children, briefly wondering what it was doing inside, but not really caring, "I suppose I can do that."

Sakura rounded up the children who were all dressed up, helping them into their royal carriage, which Neji pulled around the room until they got to their imaginary destination. They danced with the kids for a while, basking in their small laughs and big smiles, before saying goodnight as the children grew tired. The night shift had arrived to watch over them as they slept and care for any of the night owls. The children did not want them to go, but Neji reassured them that they would be back in a few days to play with them again.

The couple walked back to their shared apartment, enjoying the cool spring breeze under the dimming sky, "You're so good with them Neji."

"I love children. I can't wait for us to have a family one day," he smiled and looked up at the orange hue above them.

"I promise we will have a family one day," she kissed his hand, which she had been holding the whole walk home, "let's worry about getting some dinner, first, though. I'm so hungry. Those kids wore me out."

"I'll cook tonight," he announced, he knew she loved it when he cooked, "what do you want?"

"You could put a pile of worms in front of me and I'd eat it, I'm that hungry," she poked at him.

"Don't tempt me, woman," he laughed.

They enjoyed the rest of their walk home, where Neji cooked a nice udon dinner for the two of them. Sakura couldn't help but laugh when she saw the dish, the noodles had a resemblance to worms, after all.


	15. Chapter 15

Casual Night In

Sakura had come home from a late night shift at the hospital, which led to her sleeping in until one in the afternoon. She woke to an empty apartment and a note on her nightstand. It read, '_Went training with Hiashi-sama, I'll be back for dinner, Love always, Neji'._

She rolled out of bed, stretching her limbs, and leaving the covers a mess, which Neji would scold her for when he returned. He always made the bed, he liked to keep a tidy home. She walked out to the kitchen to make herself something to eat, opening the fridge to find a plate of adzuki buns Neji had made the night before while she was at work. She hadn't even known about them until just now, as she had gone right to bed when she arrived home at two in the morning. Adzuki buns were one of her favorite foods, and Neji loved to make them for her. She took one and munched on it happily, debating on if she wanted to go out and train or sit home and relax for the day. She hadn't had a day off in over a week, and really didn't feel like doing much of anything. Ultimately, staying home was the winning decision. She found a romance drama movie on the tv to watch while she waited for Neji to return home from his training.

Sometime later, Neji opened the door to the small apartment, finding his lover passed out on the sofa with the TV blaring. He walked up to her, and seeing how deeply asleep she way, decided not to bother her. She needed to catch up on her sleep, anyway.

He stripped his clothing and hopped into the shower, washing the dirt and grime from his training session. Hiashi had put his nephew through the ringer, as usual, but Neji was able to keep up. They were an equal match, always ending in a draw, but, nevertheless, Neji found himself bruised up and dirty. He relished in the cool water, deciding to take a long shower before deciding what he and Sakura would be doing for the night. He had made dinner the last few nights while she worked at the hospital.

He exited his shower, putting on clean lounge clothes after deciding he would order a pizza instead of cooking. He found Sakura to still be asleep, stretched out on the sofa, so he decided to sit on the floor and switch through the channels until he found something interesting to watch while he waited for the large pizza he had called and ordered for the two of them.

The pizza arrived shortly, which he paid for and set on the kitchen counter. He walked back over to his sleeping lover and gently shook her shoulder, "My love, it's time to wake up."

She groaned and rolled onto her stomach, burying her face in the decorative pillow she was resting on, "What time is it?" Her voice was muffled by the pillow.

"It's five-thirty. I just got a pizza delivered," he rubbed her back gently.

She perked up, "Did you say pizza?"

"Yes, I did. It just got here."

She rolled off the sofa and practically ran to the kitchen to devour said pizza. Neji found her excitement over the food to be quite comical as he snickered at her, "Guess you were hungry."

"I love pizza," she said with a full mouth.

"Who doesn't?" He reiterated, grabbing his own slice.

"Whoever doesn't like pizza is crazy," She finished up her first slice before quickly grabbing a second and shoving it down her throat as fast as she did the first one.

"I figured we could have an easy night tonight," Neji said, he took his own second slice, but unlike Sakura, he ate it slowly,

"Sounds like a plan to me. I have three late nights in a row starting tomorrow, then I switch to morning for a bit."

"I leave for a business mission to Suna in two days, I should only be gone for a week if everything goes smoothly."

The couple finished their pizza and made their way back over to the sofa, "Hanabi-sama lent me this romcom she liked if you want to watch it," Neji said, holding up a DVD he had put on their coffee table when he came home.

"A romcom? You, Neji Hyuuga, is in possession of a romcom?" Sakura asked in a slight state of shock.

"Hanabi-sama said you might like it, so I agreed to it."

"Well then let's put it on," she said with a smile. She liked romantic comedies, even though Neji wasn't such a fan, but he would do anything to make her happy.

He put the disc into the DVD player and sat on the sofa. Sakura laid her head on his chest as the movie began. He ran his fingers through her pink hair, it was soft and silky. They watched the movie in its entirety, Sakura had ended up liking the movie as Hanabi had thought she would, but Neji found it to be unamusing. The acting was terrible, and the plot was predictable, at least in his opinion.

Neji switched the DVD off and put on a murder mystery channel, he only intended on using it as background noise, "wanna have sex?"

"Is that even a question?" Sakura laughed.

She straddled him and leaned forward to kiss him, savoring the taste of his lips on hers. She hummed into the kiss, enjoying the feeling of his tongue on hers. He picked her up and carried her to the bedroom. The neighbors would most likely have a few complaints in the morning.


	16. Chapter 16

Gum

Neji would never eat peanut butter again if he could help it. Sakura was currently slathering his hair with the substance in an attempt to get out some gum he had accidentally gotten stuck in his long locks. His experiment to blow a bubble the size of his head had been unsuccessful and resulted in the tragic accident.

"Man, this shit is really stuck in there," Sakura stated while vigorously rubbing the peanut butter into his hair.

"Would you not pull so hard? You'll rip my hair out before you even get the gum out!" Neji complained, annoyed by the situation he was currently in.

"Well do you want it out of your hair or not? I can always cut it out if that's what you'd prefer," She tugged at his hair just to rile him up for her own amusement.

"Ow! No! You will not cut my hair, woman!"

Sakura laughed as he pouted. She had managed to pull some of the sticky substance out and threw it into the trash can, "Ya know, this shit only seems to happen to you, Neji."

"The world likes to torture me, I suppose."

She managed to pull out the rest of the gum, leaving his hair coated in peanut butter, "I got it all. Now it's time to get all of this peanut butter out."

"It's going to take me forever."

"Don't worry, I'll get it out for you."

"Is that an excuse to get in the shower with me, Sakura?" He smirked.

"Maybe, maybe not. But this must come out first," she gave his hair a tug again, much to his chagrin.

"You love to rile me up, woman."

"C'mon, before I put jelly in your hair and turn you into a sandwich."

She yanked him up from the chair and practically dragged him to the shower. She washed the peanut butter from his hair for him, which he happily repaid her for in the form of intercourse in the shower.


	17. Chapter 17

Apples

Crisp leaves fell gently from the trees and a cool breeze blew through Konoha. Autumn had begun, which meant that Halloween was on its way. The fall festival was full of various frights and other activities themed for the holiday. Sakura had somehow convinced Neji to go into a haunted house, which he found unusual because she was not a fan of anything horror related. He, on the other hand, had no problem with frightening things, he enjoyed a good scare every now and then. Most of the people who would jump out at them were children from the orphanage. The kids looked forward to participating in the fall festival and receiving candies during trick or treating.

Sakura had been afraid as she walked through, jump scares were not her thing, and she absolutely hated clowns. One had followed them down the corridor for a few minutes before turning around to stalk the next person who came through; she practically ran when she saw it coming towards them. Eerie sounds and screams were playing through hidden speakers, and fog rolled across the floor. They rounded the final corner and were met with a hoard of chainsaw wielding men who charged them. Sakura made a mad dash through the exit, pulling Neji by the arm behind her.

"You're a shinobi, and you were frightened by some fake chainsaws?" Neji asked, clearly amused that she had gotten scared by some actors.

"No! They're working hard and I thought they would like that reaction!" She responded, pretending to be offended that he was poking fun at her.

"Yeah, sure. You also screamed when a small child wearing a sheet jumped out at us."

"Whatever. Leave me alone."

Neji chuckled, "why don't we skip the scary stuff and walk around a bit?"

"Well what do you want to do? I definitely want to buy some pumpkin donuts from the bakery, and maybe some pumpkin muffins."

Neji blanched at the idea of pumpkin flavored goods, "How can you eat that stuff? It's disgusting."

"I like it," she said simply. She knew Neji despised all things pumpkin, she had even tried to convince him to eat the squash in pie form, but he had spit it out.

He interlocked their hands and they strolled down the main street where the festivities were, "I have a request."

"What is it?"

"I'd like to go down to the orchard at some point and pick apples. I want to make apple cider."

"That sounds fun. And delicious. Since when did you like apple cider, though? I've never seen you drink it."

"I have always liked it, but I don't have it frequently unless I make it myself so I can control the spices, but the orchard was practically picked dry last year."

"We can go now, if you'd like, before it gets raided," she suggested.

"Okay, we can do that. The festival will be around for another week, so we have plenty of time to explore it some more."

They enjoyed the crisp and breezy walk down to Konoha's only orchard, which was flooded with other apple lovers. They found a tree labeled 'honeycrisp' that hadn't been touched yet and began to pluck the apples from the tree and put them in a basket. Neji was enjoying the activity until gravity decided to work its magic, and an apple came down and smacked him in the face as he plucked the fruit directly above him.

"Ow. What the fuck?"

Sakura burst into a fit of laughter, "that's karma for making fun of me in the haunted house!"

There was a visible red mark where the apple had assaulted him, "I'm glad you find it funny, Sakura."

"Neji Hyuuga, brought down by a honeycrisp apple. That's going down in the history books," she giggled, amused by his glare.

"You are cruel to me sometimes."

She cackled and kissed him where the apple had hit him, "there, is that all better?"

"No. It is not."

"Okay, cranky man, let's go so you can make your stupid cider."

"Whatever, mean woman."

The couple headed back to their apartment with their apples in hand. Sakura made it a point to pick up the apple that smacked Neji in the face with the intention of displaying it to her friends as the chosen apple, much to Neji's annoyance.

Sakura watched intently as Neji prepared the ingredients for his cider, they had stopped on the way back to pick up fresh spices at one of the many markets that lined Konoha's streets. The smell of apples and cinnamon wafted through their small abode, Sakura loved the smell of cinnamon.

"Oh," Neji turned to look at her, "my apple cider is not stupid."

"What?" She looked at him quizzically.

"When we were leaving the orchard, you called my cider stupid."

"Oh my god, Neji."

"Rude," He playfully stuck his tongue out at her.

"Sometimes you are a man child, ya know that?" She stuck her tongue out back at him.

"Maybe I am," he leaned in close to her face, "now kiss me."

"Gladly," she gently pressed her lips to his.

Satisfied with their kiss, he smiled and turned back to check on his concoction. The fruits and spices would have to simmer for at least four hours on high heat before the next step could take place, "We have a few hours to kill. What would you like to do?"

"Kind of in the mood to watch murder investigation shows."

"I'm okay with that," he turned the tv on and flipped to ID Investigation.

They became entranced with the series of murders that homicide detectives worked tirelessly to solve, so much so, that Neji almost forgot about his apple cider. He would have overcooked it if it wasn't for the timer he had set. He mashed up the cooked apples and few oranges he added for extra flavor, then threw in some brown sugar and strained the decimated fruit and cinnamon sticks out.

"It's all done," he poured the hot cider into two mugs and brought them over to the sofa.

Sakura took a sip of the warm liquid, "oh wow, this is really good."

"And you called it stupid," he smirked.

"I take it back. Good job, love," she set her mug down on the coffee table as to not spill it when she leaned in for another kiss. With her fresh cider and murder investigation shows, she couldn't help but feel very content with her life. All she had to do now was spread the story of the killer apple to their friends.


End file.
